Shell Helix Ultra in Transparent Car

Shell is promoting Shell Helix Ultra oil with “Glass Car”, an integrated advertising campaign featuring a Nissan 370Z sports car made of perspex. The campaign includes television, press and outdoor, augmented reality and point of sale elements, each portraying the underlying message that Shell Helix Ultra continually cleans and protects your engine. The TV ad shows the journey that the oil makes as it travels through the transparent car’s engine. As the car moves off, the ad finishes with the line “Performance you can see”. Shell says it is trying to target a range of car lovers, from the sports car enthusiast to the DIY mechanic.

Click on the image below to play the commercial in YouTube

Leila Prati, global brand manager for Shell Helix, says: “We wanted to position Shell Helix as the best in class engine oil, which is at the cutting edge of technology. This campaign does this in a clever and impactful way by making the cleaning effects of the oil visible for all to see.”

Credits

The Glass Car campaign was developed at JWT London. Michael Abbott, Shell business director at JWT London, says, “We were faced with the challenge of dramatising the efficiency of a product you can’t see, hear or smell working. The idea of a transparent car allowed us to bring the product alive in an engaging manner.”

Filming was shot by director Ivan Bird at Rattling Stick with producer Kate Martin, and production designer John Ebdon.

The transparent car was manufactured at Asylum Models and Effects, London, by a huge team under the supervision of Mark Ashton.

A Nissan 370Z with nearly 3000 components was built in perspect over a 10 week period. The body work was achieved using a Vac-Forming process. Some parts were scanned and machined out of solid perspex. Other parts were moulded and cast in clear cast resin. All other parts were hand made. 25 modelmakers worked 60 hour weeks over ten weeks to get the car finished in time for the shoot. Over 3 tons of perspex was required to complete the car, with thechassis being the heaviest single component. A twice up in scale engine was driven by an electric motor to show the route of the oil in the engine.

Click on the image below to play the behind-the-scenes video in YouTube

Click on the image below to play the inside-the-engine video in YouTube

Stay Inspired

What is The Inspiration Room?

A global effort designed to influence, affect and involve creative communities in the development of a world standard for inspiration, particularly in the fields of advertising, design and film. More »